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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24460000">A Family Meal</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Code_The_Poet/pseuds/Code_The_Poet'>Code_The_Poet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Coffee Dad Sakura Sojiro, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Slice of Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:41:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,971</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24460000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Code_The_Poet/pseuds/Code_The_Poet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Yusuke is invited to Leblanc for a meal, but watching the preparations leaves him with an odd feeling of longing. That is, before a sudden spell of dizziness catches him off-guard.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amamiya Ren &amp; Kitagawa Yusuke, Kitagawa Yusuke &amp; Persona 5 Protagonist, Kitagawa Yusuke &amp; Sakura Sojiro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>119</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Quality Persona Fics</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Family Meal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is pure, feel-good fluff. Hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sudden spell of dizziness surprises Yusuke as much as it does everyone around him.</p>
<p>There’s next to no warning. He’s hanging out at Leblanc when it happens, observing the preparations for the meal he’s been invited to. Sojiro and Ren bustle around the tiny kitchen, bumping into each other as they reach for the same spoon, the same spices, then laughing when they realize that the same motions are so ingrained in them that they can’t help but get in each other’s way. Futaba sits at the bar, chattering excitedly about her latest obsession, a new video game by the sound of it.</p>
<p>The scene is so warm and intimate that Yusuke almost feels like he’s intruding on something he shouldn’t be a part of, even though he’s there on Ren’s insistence. He reaches out to frame the moment, picturing the scene in delicate brushstrokes and soft colours. <em>Preparations for a Family Meal</em>, he names the imaginary painting in his mind, feeling a curious pang of longing in his chest, but he barely has time to register the emotion before an inky darkness starts to creep in at the edges of the scene. He blinks, trying to clear his vision.</p>
<p>The next thing he knows, he’s on his back on the café floor.</p>
<p>He opens his eyes and sees three faces peering down at him with identical expressions of worry, and has a sudden sinking feeling that a chunk of time is missing from his memory.</p>
<p>Sojiro is the first to break the stunned silence, his voice gruff in an attempt to conceal his concern. “You alright, kid?”</p>
<p>Yusuke stares blankly at the faces above him. His body feels numb, disconnected from his mind in some way, and he’s having trouble piecing together words to form a coherent thought.</p>
<p>“Yusuke, can you hear us?” It’s Ren this time, with an edge of worry that he doesn’t bother to hide.</p>
<p>The fog in his brain is starting to dissipate, replaced by a growing feeling of dread. This scene is all too familiar, he realizes, though usually he’s alone when it happens, and usually it’s the cold cement floor of the art studio below him. Perhaps if he simply closes his eyes he’ll find himself there after all, with no one to fret and worry over him.</p>
<p>“Say something, Inari!” orders Futaba, but her attempt to sound angry is off-set by the half-choked sob that follows.</p>
<p>Something in her voice pierces through Yusuke and forces him to admit that he is indeed in the café and there are three people who are very concerned on his behalf. He opens his eyes again and forces himself to look up at them.</p>
<p>“My apologies,” he mumbles, trying to push himself into an upright position, but a hand on his shoulder holds him in place.</p>
<p>“Don’t push yourself,” says Ren. “You just passed out for seemingly no reason.”</p>
<p>Embarrassment causes Yusuke’s cheeks to colour slightly. “I most certainly did not,” he counters with a sniff.</p>
<p>“You did!” Futaba rubs an arm across her eyes. “You were standing there, and then all of the sudden you went like this, and this—” She stumbles around, recreating the scene with a little too much vigour, before throwing herself theatrically on the ground at his feet.</p>
<p>“Words work just as well, Futaba,” chides Sojiro gently, before turning back to Yusuke. “It certainly looked like passing out to me,” he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. “You sure you’re feeling alright?”</p>
<p>Truthfully, Yusuke is feeling pretty awful. His stomach is churning, and he’s secretly glad Ren stopped him from getting up because he doesn’t trust himself not to succumb to the dizziness the moment he’s back in a vertical position. But he swallows and says simply, “Believe me, I’m perfectly fine.”</p>
<p>“Like hell you are,” Ren bursts out. “‘Perfectly fine’ people don’t go passing out for no reason at all, and you know it.”</p>
<p>“It was a moment of dizziness and I lost my balance, nothing more,” Yusuke says flatly.</p>
<p>Ren shakes his head. “You were unresponsive for at least a minute after you fell.”</p>
<p>Yusuke’s head throbs at the reminder of the fall he doesn’t remember, and he suddenly wants nothing more than to be left alone. “What if I told you it’s happened before and it’s nothing to be concerned about?” he snaps, sounding more irritable than he intends. He locks eyes with Ren and the two of them glare at each other.</p>
<p>The lid of the unattended curry pot suddenly rattles, mercifully interrupting the tense silence. Sojiro swears under his breath and excuses himself to go check on it, and Ren finally breaks the uncomfortable staring contest and runs his hand through his unruly hair.</p>
<p>“You mean this has happened before?” he asks, not without a hint of anxiety. “This is something to be concerned about, Yusuke.”</p>
<p>Futaba, who was now sitting where she had previously thrown herself to the ground, made a noise of agreement. “Ren’s right.”</p>
<p>“I’m only trying to help. I’m not going to pry if you don’t want me to, but I’d appreciate it if you let us know what’s going on.” Ren’s voice has softened, in that way of his that always seems to make people eager to spill their deepest secrets, and Yusuke finds himself powerless to resist.</p>
<p>“It happens sometimes when I’m in the studio,” he admits. “Late at night, when I find myself wrapped up in my work, the urge to create more powerful than the cravings of the flesh.”</p>
<p>“When you forget to eat or sleep, you mean?” interrupts Futaba.</p>
<p>Yusuke scowls at her. “You’re one to talk.”</p>
<p>“That’s why I know what it’s like, Inari!” she retorts, sounding annoyed.</p>
<p>Ren holds up a hand to stop them. “Kids, please,” he tries to joke, but he ends up sounding so much like Sojiro that both Yusuke and Futaba stare at him in shock. “What?”</p>
<p>“Focus on the <em>problem</em>, Ren.” Futaba motions towards Yusuke as she emphasizes the word “problem”, and he might have been insulted if he didn’t feel so ill.</p>
<p>“She has a point,” Ren says, looking thoughtful. “When was the last time you ate?”</p>
<p>Yusuke tries to remember, but he’s not actually sure. He’s been working particularly hard on a painting for school and the past few days are kind of a blur. He elects to keep a dignified silence instead, which Ren correctly interprets as a confirmation of his fears.</p>
<p>“Yusuke, you’ve got to take better care of yourself,” he says with a sigh. “You’re going to make yourself sick at this rate.”</p>
<p>He looks away, ashamed at the worry in his friend’s face. It’s not his fault that the scholarship money he receives is barely enough to cover the art supplies he desperately needs, but he feels like he’s somehow to blame. If only he hadn’t fought back against the one person who had provided for him… but no. The hunger wasn’t new to his current situation, nor was the exhaustion. They were but some of the few constants in his life, his oldest companions.</p>
<p>“Hey.” Ren’s soft voice interrupts his thoughts. “You don’t have to go through this alone anymore.”</p>
<p>Yusuke swallows, realizing there are tears in his eyes. “Forgive me, Ren, I didn’t mean to cause you so much worry.”</p>
<p>“Hey, I’m here too!” Futaba protests. “<em>I’m</em> the one who cried when you fell to the ground.”</p>
<p>A smile twitches at the edges of Yusuke’s lips. “Then I apologize to you as well, Futaba.”</p>
<p>She splutters indignantly, evidently taken aback by the serious apology. “Shut up, Inari,” she mumbles, though it’s the most half-hearted retort Yusuke has ever heard from her.</p>
<p>Luckily for her dignity, Sojiro appears then with a plate of curry. “Think you can sit up yet, kid? I’ve been told my curry has astonishing restorative powers.”</p>
<p><em>If only he knew,</em> thought Yusuke, remembering the feeling of strength returning to his limbs after a good helping of curry in the latest safe room. Then he remembers that a question had been asked of him and he nods eagerly.</p>
<p>Ren helps him sit up, obviously not trusting him to balance on his own (which is probably a fair assessment, as the feeling of dizziness is still more prominent than Yusuke would like). He finds himself propped up on the floor with his back to one of the booths and the plate of curry placed in his lap. Feeling suddenly ravenous, he begins to shovel food into his mouth as quickly as possible.</p>
<p>“Not exactly what I pictured when I told Ren he should invite you for a good meal,” admits Sojiro, “but it seems you really needed this.”</p>
<p>Yusuke looks up in surprise, a bite of curry frozen halfway to his mouth.</p>
<p>Sojiro clears his throat awkwardly. “I mean when Ren asked if he could invite you for a good meal,” he tries to backpedal, but it’s too late. Yusuke feels a warmth spread through his chest that he can’t entirely attribute to the curry.</p>
<p>“Thank you for the meal,” he says sincerely, bowing his head in respect.</p>
<p>“Aw shucks, kid, it’s nothing.” Sojiro sounds embarrassed. “I’ve got to feed these guys anyways, so what’s one more hungry teenager?”</p>
<p>As if on cue, Futaba jumps to her feet. “Sojiro, I hunger!” she demands. “Where’s my curry?”</p>
<p>“Alright, alright,” he says, evidently grateful for the change in subject. “There’s enough for everyone.” He returns to the kitchen and busies himself with serving up the rest of the curry.</p>
<p>Ren nudges Yusuke’s shoulder. “See, I told you he wouldn’t mind.”</p>
<p>“That men is a blessing to all of us,” replies Yusuke as he resumes shovelling his curry into his mouth.</p>
<p>“Promise you’ll stop by next time you’re this hungry?”</p>
<p>Yusuke considers it for a minute. “As long as you’ll have me,” he answers finally.</p>
<p>“You’ll always have a place with us,” Ren reassures him. “You’re practically family at this point.”</p>
<p><em>Family.</em> Yusuke looks up, his eyes meeting the gentle gaze of <em>Sayuri</em> across the room, and in that moment he wonders if this is what it means to feel truly loved.</p>
<p>“Ren, I—” But he cuts off as his throat closes up, unable to find the words that convey the depth of his gratitude.</p>
<p>As usual, Ren seems to sense exactly what’s on his mind. “Don’t even think about thanking me,” he says with a grin. “Just enjoy it, okay?”</p>
<p>Yusuke nods, his heart swelling with affection. “Thank you, Mom,” he murmurs under his breath instead, still locking eyes with <em>Sayuri</em>, and if Ren overhears he gives no indication of it.</p>
<p>Futaba bounds back over to them with her own plate of curry, Sojiro close behind her. “Let’s eat on the floor with Inari,” she suggests brightly. “It’ll be like a picnic!”</p>
<p>Sojiro grumbles something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like “if only the health inspector could see”, but he hands Ren a plate and joins them on the floor with a sigh of defeat. “Don’t even think about making this a habit,” he warns them, but his eyes crinkle with the hint of a smile.</p>
<p>Yusuke finally tears his eyes away from <em>Sayuri</em>, and the scene around him momentarily takes his breath away. Futaba squats in her usual posture, inhaling her curry as if she were the starving one, while Sojiro sits with his legs folded beneath him in an oddly childlike way as he tries to look somewhat dignified. Ren eats quietly at Yusuke’s own side, always the comforting presence, ready to steady him if his body betrays him again. Somehow, it’s even warmer and more intimate than the scene he had been admiring before he passed out, and this time he doesn’t even feel like an intruder.</p>
<p><em>A Family Meal</em>, he names the new painting in his mind.</p>
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